Union Square Cafe
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Union Square Cafe
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About this restaurant
- Good for special occasions
- Neighbourhood gem
- Lively
OpenTable Icon
2026
From the OpenTable editors: Danny Meyer's first restaurant, founded in 1985 and still one of the most enduring names in New York dining, Union Square Cafe holds five James Beard Awards and topped the Zagat Survey's Most Popular Restaurant list nine times. Executive chef Lena Ciardullo, a USHG lifer who came up through Maialino and Gramercy Tavern, helms a menu rooted in the Union Square Greenmarket with Italian influences woven throughout. The 19th Street yellowfin tuna burger, cooked to medium-rare with pickled ginger and a mustard-soy glaze, has been a signature for decades. Housed in a David Rockwell-designed room on East 19th Street, it remains the clearest expression of what Meyer built his reputation on: cooking that feels both considered and genuinely welcoming.
Executive chef: Lena Ciardullo
Dining areas
Additional information
- Dining styleCasual Dining
- Price$50 and over
- CuisinesAmerican, Italian
- Hours of OperationBrunch Sat, Sun 11:00–14:30 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30–14:30 Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 17:00–21:30 Thu–Sat 17:00–22:00
- Phone number
- Payment OptionsAMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
- Dress codeCasual Dress
- Private party facilitiesUnion Square Cafe in New York offers private and semi-private event spaces for business meetings, celebrations, and buyouts, accommodating a variety of group sizes in an elegant setting.
- Location
- Award-winning
- OpenTable Icons 2026
- AreaUnion Square
- Cross street19th Street & Park Avenue South
- Parking DetailsPublic pay parking lot available across the street.
- Public transportTake the 4, 5, 6, N, R or L subway trains to the 14th Street/Union Square stop.
- AdditionalBar Dining, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Experiences
New Year's Eve
USD 185.00 per person
1 - 8 people
31 Dec 2026 onlyRing in 2027 at Union Square Cafe with a festive prix fixe dinner by Chef Lena Ciardullo. Beverage, tax and service are additional.Thanksgiving
USD 185.00 per person
1 - 8 people
26 Nov 2026 onlyJoin us this Thanksgiving for a special holiday prix fixe from Executive Chef Lena Ciardullo. Beverage, tax and service are additional.The Feast of the Seven Fishes
USD 205.00 per person
1 - 8 people
24 Dec 2026 onlyJoin us for our annual Christmas Eve tradition, a prix fixe dinner inspired by Chef Lena Ciardullo's own family recipes and the Italian Christmas Eve customs she grew up with. Beverage, tax and service are addtional.
Dining areas
Additional information
- Dining styleCasual Dining
- Price$50 and over
- CuisinesAmerican, Italian
- Hours of OperationBrunch Sat, Sun 11:00–14:30 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30–14:30 Dinner Mon–Wed, Sun 17:00–21:30 Thu–Sat 17:00–22:00
- Phone number
- Payment OptionsAMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
- Dress codeCasual Dress
- Private party facilitiesUnion Square Cafe in New York offers private and semi-private event spaces for business meetings, celebrations, and buyouts, accommodating a variety of group sizes in an elegant setting.
- Location
- Award-winning
- OpenTable Icons 2026
- AreaUnion Square
- Cross street19th Street & Park Avenue South
- Parking DetailsPublic pay parking lot available across the street.
- Public transportTake the 4, 5, 6, N, R or L subway trains to the 14th Street/Union Square stop.
- AdditionalBar Dining, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
FAQs
Portions at Union Square Cafe are generally generous, guests frequently describe the servings as large or "huge, " and many say they leave comfortably full.
Yes, Union Square Cafe is a popular choice for anniversaries and special evenings, thanks to attentive hospitality and knowledgeable sommeliers that elevate a romantic meal.
Weekend brunch at Union Square Cafe, Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 am–2:30 pm, is a guest favorite and highly recommended.
Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, neat clothing is appropriate, though many guests do visit for anniversaries and special occasions and sometimes dress up a touch.
Yes, Union Square Cafe offers outdoor seating: guests have been seated on the patio/outdoor tables and reviewers describe dining outside on pleasant visits.
Union Square Cafe feels warm and welcoming, an airy, multi‑level dining room with high ceilings and a comfortable, buzzy-but-controlled atmosphere that many guests call perfect for celebrations.
Union Square Cafe hums at peak visits, reviewers describe the dining room as full and buzzing, while Sunday evenings can be noticeably quieter, with at least one guest enjoying a calm corner table.
Union Square Cafe offers its warm, contemporary main dining room with multi‑level/upstairs seating, a lively bar, an outdoor patio, and a private dining room.
Yes, Union Square Cafe is family‑friendly: guests note children and a nursing mother dining comfortably, and many families return here for special occasions, reflecting an unfussy, welcoming atmosphere.
For a calmer visit, try Sunday dinner, Union Square Cafe serves dinner Sundays from 5:00 pm–9:30 pm and a guest specifically appreciated the quiet of a Sunday night; if you want a livelier evening, Friday nights often feel packed and buzzing.
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